This disclosure relates to a clearance control system for an air seal and, more particularly, to accessing the clearance control system for repair, replacement, inspection, etc.
Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section. The pressurized air is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section, which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine loads.
The compressor and turbine sections of a gas turbine engine typically include alternating rows of rotating blades and stationary vanes. The turbine blades rotate and extract energy from the hot combustion gases that are communicated through the gas turbine engine. The turbine vanes prepare the airflow for the next set of blades. The vanes extend from platforms that may be contoured to manipulate flow.
A case of an engine static structure can support air seals that provide an outer radial flow path boundary for the hot combustion gases. The air seals circumscribe the rows of rotating blades.
Some air seals are radially adjustable relative to the rotating blades. Radial adjustments help accommodate component deflections due to engine maneuvers and rapid thermal growth. Clearance control system can be utilized to radially adjust the air seals. The clearance control systems can include actuators. Accessing the clearance control systems for repair, inspection, etc. is difficult. Access may require that portions of the case are disassembled and removed, which can result in significant costs.